Lost Maxim released Forage Wizard on Steam on May 5, 2026, ending a quiet eight-month public demo cycle with a $6.99 launch (or $6.29 through May 15 with the 10% introductory discount). The cozy alchemy incremental opened to 100% positive reviews from its first 25-plus buyers and a small but growing playerbase that pulled the game onto Steam's "Popular New Releases" sidebar within 24 hours.
Caption: Automation kicks in once you unlock self-chopping trees and elemental distilleries. The loop pivots from clicking to managing.
Key Takeaways
- Launched May 5, 2026 on Steam (Windows + macOS) at $6.99 / $6.29 with launch discount through May 15.
- Solo-team developer/publisher: Lost Maxim. The demo (App 4189140) stays up alongside the paid release.
- 100% positive on Steam after the first 25-plus reviews, with players citing the skill tree depth and clean automation hooks.
- Game size is roughly 500 MB; the genre is clicker / incremental with crafting and alchemy systems.
What Happened With the Forage Wizard Launch
Lost Maxim opened the Forage Wizard Steam page in mid-2025 and ran a public demo from October 2025. A second playtest, labeled "Forage Wizard 2 of 2," wrapped in early 2026 with the developer using community feedback to rebalance late-tree progression and the elemental distillery costs.
The 1.0 release went live at 5 PM UTC on May 5, 2026. By the morning of May 6 the game had crossed 25 verified-purchase reviews on Steam, all positive. The Steam description summarizes the loop as: click and gather wood, rocks, wheat, and "primordial cubes," then refine those into magical resources, build automation machines, slay glade monsters, farm crops, and trade resources for gold to unlock the next tier of the skill tree. There are four core resource branches, a blueprint shop for new building types, and hidden glade locations gated behind specific alchemy combinations.
The official trailer (ID uRViaOpsV_Q on YouTube) shows the early-game clicker stage and the mid-game automation transition. The developer has not yet published a content roadmap for post-launch updates.
Caption: The skill tree is the structural reason this is more than a tap-to-watch-numbers-go-up game. It gates real new content, not just multipliers.
Why the Forage Wizard Launch Matters
Steam's incremental subgenre has had a strange year. Most paid clickers either lean into idle-only ad-revenue mechanics (NGU Idle, Antimatter Dimensions) or commit to a roguelike spin (Cookie Clicker stays free; Adventure Capitalist stays mobile-first). Lost Maxim's launch sits in a small but real niche: a paid-up-front cozy clicker with a skill tree that actually unlocks new mechanics, not just tap multipliers. The launch price is low enough that the comparison shoppers are not asking "is this worth $30," they're asking "is this worth one coffee." For 100% of the first 25-plus buyers on Steam, the answer was yes. Whether that holds at 200 reviews and 1,000 reviews is the next checkpoint, and the one to watch.
For genre fans: this is the kind of indie that gets compared to similar small launches like the recent Dead as Disco early access. Different genre, same "small studio, sharp hook, sub-$25" shape. If you came up through the All Hail the Orb alchemy systems, the loop will feel immediately legible. If you preferred the co-op pull of The Spell Brigade 1.0, Forage Wizard is the solo, low-stakes alternative for the same week.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Forage Wizard launch? Forage Wizard launched on Steam on May 5, 2026, at 5 PM UTC. The studio is Lost Maxim, same developer and publisher.
How much does Forage Wizard cost on Steam? $6.99 USD regular, with a 10% launch discount to $6.29 through May 15, 2026. No DLC or season pass announced.
Is there a free demo? Yes. The Forage Wizard Demo (App ID 4189140) remains live alongside the paid release. Saves do not carry over, but the demo covers the early-game loop completely.
Does Forage Wizard support macOS? Yes. Steam lists native macOS support for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs at the i7 minimum tier. Windows requirements are equally light, about 500 MB of disk.
Is it actually 100% positive on Steam? Yes, as of May 6, 2026, after the first 25-plus buyer reviews. Review averages on small launches shift quickly; check the Steam page before buying if it has been more than a few days.
References
- Forage Wizard on Steam — official store listing, system requirements, review count.
- Forage Wizard — Official Trailer (YouTube) — Lost Maxim's launch trailer.
- Forage Wizard Demo on Steam — free demo, still available post-launch.
